Mechanical movement for toys



Nov. 15, 1932. B. P. MERWIN MECHANICAL MOVEMENT FOR TOYS Filed Feb. 2, 1932 gwvmtoz v lli/4716744- Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNETED STA BURTON P. MERWIN, or WESTON; coNNEc'r-IcUr. ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF. r0 THE WESTON TOY COMPANY, INCORPORATED, WESTON, CONNECTICUT, A conromi- TION OF CONNECTICUT MECHANICAL MOVEMENT FOR Toys Application filed- February 2, 1932. Serial No. tsaaea-f This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mechanical movements and has particular reference tov a mechanical movement especially adapted for use in connection with wheeled toys.

An. objectof the invention is to provide a toy of the type wherein wheels are rolled along a surface to store up energy which energy will carry the toy forward when the toy is released and wherein meansareprO- videdto prevent the loss of this stored energy should rotation of the wheels be stopped'before the toy is released.

Another object isto provide a mechanical movement having a more or less general application and including "means: whereby energy is applied without jerk or jar Whether the energybe taken from energy stored in the manner above suggested or fromany other power source or type of motor. a

A further object isto provide a wheeled toy including an axle for the driving wheels, a shaft mounting a fly wheel, a gear loose on the axle and a pinion secured to the fly wheel shaft and meshing with said gear and a driving connection between the gear and axle whereby they may have limited turning movement relatively. I

An additional object is to provide a wheeled toy including an axle turnablewith the driving wheels, a shaft having a fly wheel secured thereon, a gear wheel loose on the axle anda pinion'secured to the shaft and meshing with said gearwheel, a driving connection between the axle and gear whereby'the axle will drive the gear when the axle is rotated and whereby when the gear is driven by the pinion'the gear may rotate to a limitedex tent relative to the axle, and a spring means v to return the driving connection to its normal position when the pinion ceases to drive the gear and the toy is raised ofi its wheels.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the follow+ ingdetailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the'invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and Fig.1;

the jumping of a rabbit.

The wheels-9 may be termed the'ground.

modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the'scope' of theapperided substantially as indicated by the line 2-2of Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2 with the spring and discs in normal position; and 7 Fig. 4 is a sectional view on scale, theview being taken-along the line 4 4: ofFig.3.-' I

Referring in 7 body Set the toy shownis made'in the resemblance of a rabbit but it will, of course,'be-

understood that the body may take any desired shape as for example some other animal detail tofthe drawing, the

or bird, or the form of aboator locomotive Y or the like; The body fiincludes apair of sideboards or members 6 and 7 through the rear portion of which extends an axle 8 turnable inthe sideboards and having wheels 9 securedthereto to turn therewith, as by means of pins 10. Inthe present instance the front portionof the body 5 is adapted to be supported .by eccentrically mounted. wheels 7 1 l'l'whereby as the body moves forward'it will engaging or driving wheels, and secured to the axle 8 intermediate the sides 6 and 7 of the body (5% Fig. 4) is a sleeve 12. This sleeve may be secured to'the shaft as by means of. a tight or forced fit on the shaft'or ofja key 13, although any other typeof securing means will sufiice,it being only necessary that the sleeve turn with the axle. Rigidly secured to the sleeve so as toturn therewith, are

spaced discs or washersle and 15., the said be given an up and down movement to imitate.

discs being preferably disposed adjacent the 1 ends of the 'sleeveand serve to retain' other discs on the sleeve.

Mounted. on thev sleeve b. tween the discs V 5 an enlarged 1e and 15 is a relatively large gear wheel 16 and this gear wheel is freely turnable on the sleeve in so far as the sleeve itself is concerned. Gear wheel 16 meshes with a relatively small diameter pinion 17 secured to a shaft 18 arranged parallel to the axle 8 and having bearing in the side members 6 and 7. Also, secured to the shaft 18 is a relatively heavy fly wheel 19 and-this wheel 19 is so secured as to turn with the shaft.

A driving connection is provided between the axle8 and the gear wheel 16 whereby when the toy is pushed along with its wheels 9 in engagement with a surfac'e'the gear 16 will be driven and will in turn drive the pinion 17 and through the shaft18 the fly wheel 19. This means also permits a driving of the gear wheel 16 by the pinion and for a limited time 1 free of the axle 8. In the operation of these t'oys the wheels 9 are rolled along the ground whereby to impart movement to the fly wheel and when the fly wheel has gained a desired momentum the toy is released and the energy stored,represented by the'momentum of the fly wheel, carries the toy forward.

When a positive driving connection in both directions is provided between the ground engaging. wheels 9 and the fiy wheel 19 movement of the fly wheel will end with movemerit of the wheels 9. Therefore, if the operator after momentum has been imparted to the fly wheel 19, holds the toy still with its wheels 9- in engagement withthe floor rotation of the wheels will be stopped as will also the rotation of the fly wheel and the toy will not move forwardwhen released, or if its movement is not wholly arrested its energy will be greatly reduced so that the toy will move only a short distance. According to the present invention-the driving connection between the axle 8 and the gear wheel 16 is such that should the toy be held so as to stop rotation of the wheels ;9 for a short time after the fly wheel has been started spinning, the

speed of rotation of the fly wheel will not be appreciably reduced and the toy will move forward whenreleased without a sudden jerk or jump and willtravel a maximum distance.

As herein disclosed the driving connection between the axle 8' and the gear wheel 16 includes the sleeve 12 and the disc. 15. Should the disc 15 be directly secured to the axle 8 then the sleeve would not form a part of the driving connection. However, as here disclosed the parts are all mounted on the sleeve and a unit is thus formed. A projection 20 is formedon the outer periphery of the disc 15 and this projection extends radially from the disc; Between the disc 15 and the gear wheel 16 and freely turnalole on the sleeve 12 asis the gear wheel, isv a pair of discs 21 and 22 one of which is of greater diameter than the other and each of which while of less -diameter than the gearwheel is of greater diameter than the disc 15.

On the disc 21 is a laterally extending lug 23 and this lug is so disposed as to extend into the path of the projection 20 carried by the disc 15. Extending radially from the disc 21 at a point nearly opposite the lug 23 is a projection 2 1. similar to the projection 20 of the disc 15. Extending laterally from the outer edge portionof the disc 22 is a lug 25 arranged in the path of rotary movement of the projection 24: on the disc 21. At a point substantially oppositethe lug 25 the disc 22 carries a radially extending projection 26 and on the gear wheel 16 and in the path of movement of the projection 26 is a lug 27. a r

As shown in Fig. '8 the respective projections are in engagement with the respective lugs so that, assuming that the wheels 9 are brushed along a floor or other surface forwardly in the direction indicated by arrow F, the parts will be started to rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows. That is, the gear wheel 16will be rotated in a clock wisedirection as indicated by the arrow 28, the-wheels 9 will rotate in the same direction as indicated bythe arrow 29 and the fly wheel 19, pinion 17, and shaft 18 will rotate lna counter clockwise direction as indicated by thearrow 30.

This is true since the projection 20 will rotate with the disc 15 and being in engages ment with the lug 23 Ofdisc 21 will cause rotation of the disc 21. This disc 21 in turn has its projection 24 in engagement with the lug 25 of the disc 22 and the disc 22 will therefore be rotated. The projection 26 of disc 22 is in engagement with the lug 27 of the gear wheel 16 and accordingly rotative movement of the disc 22 will be imparted to the gear wheel. Since the gear wheel meshes with the pinion l7-the shaft 18 and fly wheel 19 will be rotated in a counter clockwise direction.

- Disposed on the axle 8 is a torsion spring 31 one end 82 of which is secured to the axle and the other end 33 of which is secured to the gear wheel 16 as by being wrapped around a lug 3 1 lanced and pressed from the gear wheel. lVith this arrangement drive from the fly wheel 19 and pinion 17 to axle 8 willbe through spring 31 as will be more fully described later.

After the toy has been operated by rolling its wheels 9 along the floor whereby to set the lfill in ordinary operation not to hold the'toy stationary for a short time withits wheels on the floor before releasing it,,and thus arrest 3 ing'movement of the wheel.

- stopped the axle Swill not be driving the discs 15, 21 and 22 and the gear wheel being driven by the pinion will move and carry its lug 27 away from the projection 26 of the disc 22 and if the gear wheel has about 001m pleted one revolution its lug will engage the opposite edge of the projection 26. The gear wheel will then impart rotary movement to the disc 22 whereas the disc formerly imparted such movement to the gear wheel. 7 v

This movement of the disc 22 will carry its lug 25 away from the projection 24 on the disc 21 and when disc'22 has completed substantially a complete revolution its lug 25 will come into engagement with the opposite or rear edge of the projection-24 of the disc 21 and such disc will be carried around, being directly driven by the disc'22 which it drove in the initial operation. As disc 21 is being driven its lug 23 will be carrie'daway. from the projection 20 of the disc 15 and at the end of substantially a complete revolution the lug will be brought into engagement with the other or rear edge of .the projection 20 of disc 15 if the wheels 9 should beheld station ary that long. But this will not ordinarily happen as the toy will be released before that time.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that should the wheels 9 be stopped after being brushed to impart movement to the fly i wheel 19 the fly wheel would not be stopped until all of the discs and the large gear wheel have moved to bring their respective lugs into engagement with the rear edges of the re- 'spective projections. That is, the large gear wheel may make about two and three quarters revolution before the fly wheel would have a direct or positive drive to the axle 8. Of course, if desired a greater or lessnumber of discs maybe used between the disc 15 and the gear wheel 16 whereby to vary this time interval. IVhile the wheels 9 are momenta rily stopped the continued movement of the fly wheel 19 will tension the spring 31 and so when the toy is released the drive from fly wheel to the wheels 9 is through the spring and the toy will start off with a gradual smooth motion without jerk or jar, as soon as the fly wheel has wound the spring to give it the necessary tension to move the load. Then the tension of the spring joins in with the fly wheel in moving the load resulting in carrying the load to an extreme position for the same weight of fly wheel. 7 7

As above described, during the operation of the toy in ai forward direction the spring 31 is under tension, and in this connection it is to be noted that but arelatively light spring is employed, it being ordinarily only'necessary that it be sufficiently strong to, when the toy ceases its forward movement and is raised off the floor, to return the parts of the driving connection to their normal'position as in Fig. r

3. That is, as the spring reacts the axle 8 and wheels 9 will bedriven by the spring and the axle will carrythe disc 15 in a clockwise direction to carry its projection'around and into proper relation with the lug-of thedisc 21, the disc 21 will then be carried aroundto place its projection in proper relation to the lug 25 of the disc 22 and disc 22 will be carried around to place its projection 26 in proper relation to the lug 27' of the gearwheel. The device is now in condition to be again operated by brushing the wheels along the floor and then released as above described. The parts are thenin their normal position as'shown in Fig. 3.- In other words there is a positive driving'connection' from the wheels 9 to the fly wheel 19 i to set the fly wheel spinning. However, the fly wheel isnot slowed up by placing the toy fore releasing it;

on a floor and holding the toy a'short time be I-Ia'ving thusset forth the nature of my in vention, whatI claim is f axle to whichsaid wheel is secured, a shaft,

1. In a toy, a ground engaging wheel, an

a fly wheel secured to said shaft, a driving connection between the shaftand axle, and said driving connection including means whereby there is a positive drive from the axleto'the shaft but whereby the shaft may continue to rotate-in the same direction a i llmlted' amount independentlyof the axle. 2. In a toy, a ground engaging wheel, an

axle towhich said wheel is secured, a shaft, 7

a flywheel secured on-saidshaft, a pinion secured on said shaft, a gear whee-lloose' on the axle and ineshing withthe pinion,,and a connectionbetween the gear wheel andaxle whereby on the axle being driventhe gear' wheel. isirotated and drivest-he pinion and whereby thegear wheel may-be driven' b'y the pinion a.limited'amountindependently ofmovementof the axles' 4 3. In a device of the character described, a ground engaging wheel, an axletowhich the wheel is secured, a shaft, means-for im parting movement to the shaft, adriving corr- 12o nection between the shaft and axle, and said driving (30111180131011 lncluding means whereby there is a'posit-ive drive from the axle tothe shaft but whereby the shaft may bero tated a,

limited ,amountindependently of the axle."

'41:. In a device of the character described, a

ground engaging 'whe'el', an axle to which said wheel 1 s secured, a shaft, apowermeans for imparting movementto said shaft, a pinmm on sa dshaft, a gear wheel loose on the axle and meshing with the pinion, 'anda con nection between the gear wheel and axle whereby on the axle being driven the gear wheel is rotated and drives the pinion and whereby when said power means is in operation the gear wheel may be driven bythe pinion a limited amount only independently of movement of the axle.

5. In a wheeled toy, means whereby energy may be stored by brushing the wheels along a surface, and means whereby said energy will not be lost due to a temporary stopping of the rotation of the wheels of the toy.

6. In a device of the character described including an axle and driving wheels on the axle, a shaft mounting'a fly wheel, a gear loose on the axle, a pinion secured to the shaft, and a driving connection between the gear and axle including a yieldable resilient element whereby the gear may have limited turning movement relative to the axle.

7.. In a wheeled toy, an axle, a driving wheel secured to the axle, a shaft, a fly wheel secured to the shaft, a gear turnable on the axle, a pinion secured to the shaft, a driving connection between the gear and axle including a spring whereby the axle may drive the I gear when the axle is rotated and whereby when the gear is driven by the'pinion the gear may rotate to a limited extent relative to the axle, and said spring means adapted to return the driving connection to its normal position when moved therefrom due to a driving o-f the gear by the pinion.

8. In a device of the character described, aground engaging wheel, an axle to which said wheel is secured, a shaft, a fly wheel secured tothe shaft, a driving connection be 7 tween the shaft and axle, and said driving connection including aplurality of discs each of which. has a lug and a projection and the projection of each of which is adapted to engage the lug of the next adjacent disc, and said discs relatively turnabl'e whereby the projection of each. disc may be'moved from a position engaging one side of a lug of an adjacent disc to a position engaging the other side thereof whereby there is a positive drive from the axle to the shaft but whereby the shaft may have limited rotative movement independent of the axle.

9. In a device of the character described, an axle, a driving wheel secured to the axle, a shaft, a fly wheel secured to the shaft, a pinion secured to the shaft, a gear tu-rnable on the axle, a driving connection between the gear and axle whereby the axle may drive the gear when the axle is rotated and whereby when the gear is driven the gear may rotate to a; limited extent relative to the axle, said driving connection including a. plurality of discs each of which has a lug and a projection and the projection of each of which is normally engaging one side of'the lug of each next adjacent disc to form a positive drive between the axle and gear, said discs relatively turnable whereby the projection of each disc may be moved from the said position engaging one side of the lug of an adj acent disc to a position engaging the other side thereof whereby the pinion may drive the gear independent of the axle during the time the projection is moving from one side to the opposite side of a lug, and said drive also including a spring means to return said discs to their normal position establishing a positive drive from the axle to the gear when said discs are moved therefrom.

10. In a device of the character described, a ground engaging wheel, an axle to which said wheel is secured,a shaft, a fly wheel secured to the shaft, a driving connection between the shaft and axle, said driving connection including a plurality of discs each of which has a lug and a projection and the p'rojection of each of which is adapted to engage the lug of the next adjacent disc, said discs relatively turnable whereby: the projection of each disc may be moved from a position en gaging one side of a lug of an adjacent disc to a position engaging the other side thereof whereby there is a positive drive from the axleto the shaft but whereby the shaft may have limited rotative movement independent of the axle, and said drive also including a spring means to return said discs to their normal position'establishing apo'sitive drive from the axleto the gear when said discs are moved therefrom. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BURTON P. MERVVIN. 

